The episode in detail
The professional cargo bike, a market taking shape
When Damien Garreau discovered the world of professional cargo bikes in 2020, the picture was clear: businesses wanting to replace their works van with a bike had no one to talk to. Bike shops sold mountain bikes, gravel bikes, road bikes. No one offered advice on fitting out a two-wheeled works vehicle. The gap between existing supply and what professionals needed opened up a space that JHOG would go on to fill.
“We could clearly see there were quite a few boxes to tick, there were things to do. There was an opportunity. And my idea from the start was to build the Fraikin of the bike world.”
Fraikin is the giant of long-term truck and van leasing. Transposing that model to the cargo bike, with rental, maintenance and fleet management, was Damien’s original plan. A position that simply did not exist on the French market.
From meeting to partnership: how JHOG took shape
The founder of Cyclable, contacted on LinkedIn, warned Damien: the market is a niche, the chances of success are slim. His advice: lean on pioneers. Damien then contacted Jérôme and Olivier, two entrepreneurs who had created the JHOG brand (the initials of their names) and specialised in selling cargo bikes and trailers to professionals.
“On the phone, we knew straight away that we’d be able to work together, even though we’d never met. I booked my plane ticket after a quarter of an hour of conversation.”
Ten days later, Damien was in Chambéry. The principle is simple: each keeps their own company, operates under the same brand, and the French territory is split into three zones. Damien pays a monthly fee and gets support from the two founders. A pragmatic licensing system that allows fast growth. After Jérôme left at the end of 2021, Damien and Olivier merged their companies. JHOG France became a national entity, the leader on the professional two-wheeled cargo bike market in France, with more than 150 clients in more than 40 towns.
Professional cargo bike: sales, rental and tailored maintenance
JHOG focuses on a small number of brands to keep control of after-sales service, parts stock and customer advice. The business rests on four pillars. Sales of two-wheeled cargo bikes (Long John style) and multimodal trailers. Rental, particularly short-term, which requires being geographically close to customers. On-site maintenance, with service vans operated by the ‘jhoggeurs’ who travel across France. And customisation, with box and fitting modules developed by JHOG and mounted on the bikes and trailers.
“We now have a solution that’s pretty great because it’s unique, it’s very much geared towards professionals, and there’s still a lot to do.”
The model stands apart from regular bike shops through its integrated approach. A professional who calls JHOG gets advice, a quote, a commissioning service, a maintenance contract and even guidance on insurance. Everything the professional cargo bike market was missing.
The works bike faced with reality on the ground
Replacing a works van with a cargo bike is not straightforward. Bike delivery companies have fragile business models. Large logistics, IT maintenance or telecoms groups are moving slowly towards this transition. But the example works through imitation.
“At the start, when they turned up on a site with other trades who saw them arrive by bike, they got a bit of ribbing. And the months went by and minds started asking questions.”
Damien mentions a Paris-based IT maintenance company that transports cable reels and server racks by cargo bike. Colleagues from other trades, mocking at first, end up noticing that the cyclist gets home earlier, avoids traffic jams and gains in efficiency. Demonstration through use is worth more than any sales pitch. JHOG relies on logistics trade shows to reach decision-makers at large national organisations, the ones who manage fleets of hundreds of works vehicles in city centres.
From late bike commuting to bike entrepreneurship
Damien is not a long-time cyclist turned activist. He grew up in the countryside between Angers and Le Mans, always rode a bike for leisure, but never considered using it to get to work. Even in Paris, where he worked at Alcatel in a suit, the idea never crossed his mind.
“I often tell myself: it didn’t even cross my mind, when I lived in Paris, to take the bike. Even though the distances were short.”
The trigger came in 2019, on his return from working abroad in Texas. On his street in Angers, he saw someone moving an American fridge on a bike trailer. The first 2020 lockdown reinforced the realisation: less noise, less pollution, less stress in the city centre. Damien launched into bike entrepreneurship without ever having set foot on a cargo bike. Two years later, he drops his children at school by cargo bike and cycles to work when the family logistics allow.
